The different types of work contracts among brazilian skilled workers

Abstract

Over the past decades working relationships have been continuously changed toward more flexible relations vis-à-vis labor relations of the traditional type. These transformations have also reached the Brazilian labor market, even though it has characteristics quite different from those of more developed economies. At the Brazil context, labor relations have always had a strong element of flexibility, since the formal and informal work is equally important in the economy. However, despite the informality in the Brazilian scenario, Brazilian skilled workers remained in stable work bonds, with CLT contracts, during the second half of the last century. But this scenario has been modified in recent decades. Although all these changes in labor market, research about different types of work contracts in the Brazilian market is scarce. Data relating to qualified professionals are even rarer. Considering this situation this paper aims to identify the different types of working contracts among skilled workers in Brazil. The paper discusses the results of empirical research and presents, based on literature and on data from 47 workers’ interviews, 15 variations of work contracts, which could be distinguished from CLT type. Considering these diversity the results of this research indicate that flexible labor relations cannot be taken as a homogenous process. The data also depict a troubling reality. We can say that there is a gap in the Brazilian context between current labor relations and the environment in which they operate. Brazilian society and labor laws are structured based on formal working relations. Organizations often do not know how to deal with a workforce with different contract types, facing complex problems arising from this situation. And workers in general are not prepared to act in this differentiated labor market. We emphasize that the workers are the weakest link in this context, struggling to maximize the positive and minimize the negative aspects associated with labor contracts that differ from traditional.